Graduate Diploma of Health (Neonatal Care)
Become a specialist practitioner in the care of neonates and their families in the context of a multidisciplinary team.
Course essentials
Entry requirements
Credit
Study mode
Duration
Start dates
Locations
Gippsland (flexible)
Course overview
This program is aimed at Registered Nurses and Midwives who are currently working in or would like to work in a Special Care Nursery environment as well as:
- Registered nurses working in rural or regional hospitals who provide assistance to midwives in birth suite when caring for compromised newborns, or
- Registered nurses or midwives wanting to update their knowledge and skills in caring for the compromised newborn.
This program therefore aims to equip nurses and midwives, with the knowledge and skills to care for mild to moderately unwell neonates in the Special Care Nursery environment and to provide initial supportive care and stabilisation of the critically unwell neonate in preparation for transfer to the neonatal intensive care unit. This program is only offered part-time (duration is 2 years). A graduate certificate is available upon exiting the course after successfully completing the first 12 months of the course.
IT requirements
To do this course you’ll need a fast and reliable computer and access to high-speed internet. Expect to use about 5GB of data per month for every unit you’re doing. Find out more about the minimum IT requirements for studying with us.
Got questions?
Call us on 1800 333 864, start a live chat or submit an enquiry.
Student support
The support we offer is second to none. Need academic help? No problem. Extra access or financial assistance? Let’s see what we can do. View our student services.
The fine print
The commencement of all courses is subject to available funding and enrolment quotas.
Everything in this course overview is correct at the time of being published. However, the University reserves the right to alter any course, procedure or fee. Please check for changes before you apply or enrol.
Federation University uses Victorian and Commonwealth Government funding (for eligible students) to deliver training.
School department
Nursing
Course co-ordinator
Kerrie Laidlaw
Career paths
Successful completion of the Graduate Diploma of Health will enhance your professional standing and provide you with advanced level skills and knowledge for application as a leader in the nursing practice and knowledge community.
Professional recognition
While this course does not lead to registration as a health professional, you will enhance your professional standing within your discipline area providing you with advanced level skills and knowledge for application in the nursing practice and knowledge community.
Fees and scholarships
Tuition fee information
Commonwealth Supported Places are subsidised by the Australian Government. The tuition fee is called the student contribution amount. The indicative fee above is based on a typical first-year enrolment for this course and should be used as a guide only. For 0.5 EFTSL (60 credit point) courses the certificate fee is displayed. Your fee will depend on the units you chose, your study load, the time it takes to complete your course and any approved credit you receive.
How it's calculated
The government sets the fee each year. The amount depends on the discipline area and band of each unit. 2026 annual student contribution amounts for 1 EFTSL (equivalent full-time student load) range from $4,738 (Band 1) to $17,399 (Band 4). The sample course structure below link to the EFTSL, Band and fee for each unit or you can use our unit search to find these details.
Other fees
You will also need to pay the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF).
Fee assistance
If you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan, you can defer the payment of all or part of your student contribution fee. If you’re also eligible for a SA-HELP loan, you can defer your SSAF payment too. You won’t have to start paying either loan back until your income reaches the compulsory repayment threshold.
Scholarships
There’s a range of scholarships and grants available. Find out what you can apply for.
Course details
Start dates
Semester 1, 2027
1 March 2027
Locations
Ballarat (flexible)
Gippsland (flexible)
Information
- Our Mt Helen, SMB, Camp St and Gillies St campuses are located in Ballarat. Testing.
- Flexible delivery means your course will have online and on-campus options. Some on-campus sessions may be compulsory. Testing
Contact hours
You’d be looking at about 25-30 hours per week (if you’re full time), but this includes on-campus classes and self-directed study (i.e. homework).
Work integrated learning
This course requires a total of 80 placement hours.
Indication of clinical placement need or if they are currently working in a special care nursery in order to complete their clinical hours (80hrs).
Sample course structure
Here’s what the course structure could look like. It’s just an example (so don’t use it for enrolment). Interested in the details? You can find current course structure or select a single unit name below to find out what it’s about and how much it costs.
- Supportive Neonatal Care30 credit pointsHEALN6108
- Complex Neonatal Care30 credit pointsHEALN6103
- Perinatal and Infant Mental Health 115 credit pointsHEALP6201
- Perinatal and Infant Mental Health 215 credit pointsHEALP6202
Elective
Elective Units
Meet us at Open Day
Open Day is your chance to explore all that Federation has to offer. Meet current lecturers and students, ask course questions, learn about our support services and explore campus spaces.
We’ve got heaps of activities, tours and presentations planned. Basically, we want you to get a real feel for Federation. The atmosphere. The opportunities. The community.
Oh – and there’s no need to pack a sandwich. Lunch is on us.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements (non year 12)
An applicant must have successfully completed a three year (minimum) Bachelor level qualification in Nursing or Midwifery (or equivalent).
Extra requirements
- Please provide a completed supplementary application form
If you’re only applying for this course, do it via direct application.
Ready to fill out your application?
You'll need this code:
Direct application
Federation University code
- Direct application
- Yes
- Federation University code
- HM4
Hear from our students
So as I love serving people and helping them, I take Bachelor of Nursing and I'm pursuing nursing as my career. That only provides us with so many opportunities. They have contact with such good hospitals and agencies if you want to work for your placements and stuff. And they provide us with so much material and support to improve our skills through our nursing. Even in the uni, in the building, we have rooms are like literally hospital rooms where we have beds and all the equipments with dolls which do make sounds and they have pulse and everything. So it is so creative and so alive that we get to improve our skills so much. Ballarat is like the most happy, friendly little town in all of the Victoria I've been in Melbourne. But people over here are genuinely really sweet and nice to you. They're really friendly and they're just walking in the morning and someone is passing by and they'll just say, they'll smile and they say good morning to you, which is so sweet. Like it never feels that you're somewhere different. You're just you feel homely. I've heard a lot about Federation University. So back when I was applying for multiple universities, I was suggested Fed Uni by my agent and they suggested Fed Uni because it has so many campus. They support, support us so much and it is so multicultural. They're like so many people coming from so many different countries. So last year they hosted the Bollywood night for the Indian students. Being an Indian, I was so happy that they're hosting such an event. They keep on hosting events which are like for every culture and everyone gets to enjoy and feel at home, which is the best part. So the Bollywood night was the one for me. I'll be pursuing nursing as my career and I want to become a registered nurse, work here for the people and serve them and just enjoy life for some time.